Cooking with David Maciel
Sponsored by Ray’s Food Place, Furber Plaza
April brings fresh asparagus and I love to make soup with the tender ends. I add roasted sweet Italian peppers to kick up the flavor.
Ingredients
- • 3 slices of bacon diced
• 2 tablespoons unsalted butter
• 2 medium shallots, diced
• 3 garlic cloves, minced
• kosher salt and pepper
• 2 pounds asparagus spears, cut into pieces with stems removed
• 8 ounces roasted sweet peppers, skinned & seeded
• ½ teaspoon dried dill
• 3 cups vegetable or chicken stock
• ½ cup heavy cream, plus more for drizzling
• 2 tablespoons freshly squeezed lemon juice
• crumbled feta cheese & bacon bits for garnish
Instructions
- In a large pot on low heat cook the bacon until it’s just crispy. Spoon out and save for later. Add the butter,
shallots, garlic and a big pinch of salt and pepper. Cook until softened, about 5 minutes. Stir in the asparagus and dill. Cook for another 5 minutes. Add the sweet peppers and the stock and bring the mixture to a boil. Reduce it to a simmer and cook until the asparagus is tender, about 10 to 15 minutes. - Transfer the mixture to a blender carefully (or use an immersion blender) and blend until pureed. Pour it back into the pot and heat over low heat.
- Stir in the cream and lemon juice. Taste and season with more salt and pepper if necessary.
- Serve with a few drops of cream on top and the top of an asparagus spear! Sprinkle on crumbled feta for garnish.